Reflections and Advice:

1.) What do you think makes your school unique relative to other boarding schools?

One of our school mottos was everyone is known and needed. That couldn't have been more true. With such a small student size, every student was truly known and valued. The faculty was amazing and I am lucky enough to consider many of them family. They truly wanted to see every student grow and succeed and did everything to support us.
Millbrook is also incredibly forward thinking an innovative, something I didn't realize until graduating. Specifically related to sustainability, the school will be carbon neutral by 2020, an incredibly achievement. I ended up choosing to study environmental studies in college and Millbrook's deep roots in environmental stewardship definitely affected my passion for environmentalism.

2.) What was the best thing that happened to you in boarding school?

Millbrook instilled great values into me and prepared me to thrive in college and beyond. The amount that I grew and learned is immeasurable and I didn't appreciate it enough while I actually attended Millbrook. I gained confidence, independence, and drive to do good in the world. I can't thank Millbrook, my classmates, and especially the faculty enough. Of course there were some bad ones who we tended to focus on but overall everyone was amazing.

3.) What might you have done differently during your boarding school experience?

I guess I wish I had let go of the shyness and insecurity earlier on so I could have thrived more while in boarding school. I began to come out of my shell junior and senior year but boarding school really set me up to thrive in college. Try not to take things so seriously and if you go to a small boarding school, always remember that there is a world outside of your campus.

4.) What did you like most about your school?

Teachers, beautiful campus, core values, community service

5.) Do you have any final words of wisdom for visiting or incoming students to your school?

Things have changed a lot since I graduated as far as dorms and the dining hall and such but my biggest piece of advice is to befriend the faculty who you like! They have so much to teach you and they are such awesome people! Also don't get caught up in the caddy social drama. Especially in regards to hook ups and dating because you have plenty of time for that in college and after. Take advantage of the arts building and all of its resources! Put effort into sports and enjoy being on a team. And don't forget about the amazing running trails!

Academics:

1.) Describe the academics at your school - what did you like most about it?

Small class sizes, genuinely passionate teachers, and a very fair workload- challenged me but I never felt too pressured or overwhelmed. The curriculum is also generally writing heavy which is something I really appreciated later on. In college, there were some kids who still couldn't write an argumentative thesis and I was able to excel in college writing.

Athletics:

1.) Describe the athletics at your school - what did you like most about it?

I loved that we were required to do a sport every season and I gained so much from it. Coming into high school I really wasn't very athletic, but I ended up falling in love with running and loved being on the team. There was an incredibly positive atmosphere and it was a valuable part of my Millbrook experience and something that I miss in college.

Art, Music, and Theatre:

1.) Describe the arts program at your school - what did you like most about it?

The arts program was amazing and I didn't value it enough until after I graduated. Honors arts students get their own arts studios and the arts building was open all the time for our use. Anyone could walk in and take advantage of all of the resources.

Extracurricular Opportunities:

1.) Describe the extracurriculars offered at your school - what did you like most about it?

There were several strong extracurriculars but one thing that I think was lacking was the fact that most were not student run. This might just be because high school students are not as motivated to get involved in extracurriculars or start a club but I found that there were only a small number of student initiated clubs and activities.

Dorm Life:

1.) Describe the dorm life in your school - what did you like most about it?

It really depended on which dorm you lived in but for the most part I loved my dorm experience. Some dorm parents were better than others of course but overall there isn't much to complain about. Dorm parents tended to like to get involved in student drama which seemed a little immature and probably could have been avoided.

Dining:

1.) Describe the dining arrangements at your school.

The dining halls were amazing with the nicest and accommodating staff. They have built a new dining hall since I graduated which is supposed to be even better. Sunday brunch was definitely the best thing!

Social and Town Life:

1.) Describe the school's town and surrounding area.

Millbrook is truly in the middle of nowhere which some students liked to complain about but I think it made the community stronger. The surrounding area is beautiful and we made sure to take advantage of the marshes, lakes, ponds, and running trails. But outside of the campus, there really isn't much. The town of Millbrook has a few good restaurants but that's about all. Conveniently though we are the last stop on the Metro North to New York City which was awesome.

2.) Describe the social life at your school - what did you like most about it?

There were definitely stereotypes and "cliques" like the hockey bros or Greenwich girls but overall everyone got along and had to be friends just because of the small size. I made amazing life long friends and met people from all over the world.

Alumni Reviews

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